U.S. patent number 5,653,591 [Application Number 08/671,080] was granted by the patent office on 1997-08-05 for dental tooth cleaning instrument with a mechanically driven tooth cleaning tool.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Kaltenbach & Voigt GmbH & Co.. Invention is credited to Hans Loge.
United States Patent |
5,653,591 |
|
August 5, 1997 |
Dental tooth cleaning instrument with a mechanically driven tooth
cleaning tool
Abstract
In a tooth cleaning instrument (1) with an elongate handpiece,
which carries a tooth cleaning tool (3) on its forward end, which
can be set into vibration by a motor driven vibration generator (7)
which is associated with the tooth cleaning instrument (1), whereby
the tooth cleaning instrument (1) is connected or is detachably
connectable at its rear end to a supply hose (6) having energy
and/or media supply lines, the tooth contact element (17) is areal
or quasi-areal and has a surface structure which is suitable for
the abrasion of the tooth coating.
Inventors: |
Loge ; Hans (Biberach,
DE) |
Assignee: |
Kaltenbach & Voigt GmbH &
Co. (Biberach an der Riss, DE)
|
Family
ID: |
6494296 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/671,080 |
Filed: |
June 27, 1996 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
268648 |
Jun 30, 1994 |
|
|
|
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 2, 1993 [DE] |
|
|
43 25 933.2 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
433/118; 433/124;
433/126; 433/82 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61C
17/20 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61C
17/16 (20060101); A61C 17/20 (20060101); A61C
003/03 () |
Field of
Search: |
;433/82,118,119,120,126,124 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Yan; Ren
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Scully, Scott, Murphy &
Presser
Parent Case Text
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/268,648 filed on
Jun. 30, 1994 abandoned.
Claims
I claim:
1. Dental tooth cleaning instrument including an elongate handpiece
comprising a gripping sleeve; a tooth cleaning tool having a
cleaning head on a shaft mounting said tool; a motor-driven
vibration generator being arranged in the gripping sleeve, said
generator comprising a base part vibratably mounted in a forward
end portion of the gripping sleeve, a rear end of the gripping
sleeve being detachably connectable with a connecting piece by a
rotatable plug-in coupling formed with a coupling pin and a
coupling recess for receiving said pin; a rear end of the shaft
being detachably connected with the base part; an element arranged
at the forward end portion of the shaft through which rotation is
effected for alternatively tightening and releasing a screw
connection; the cleaning head being detachably connected to the
forward end of the shaft by said screw connection; the cleaning
head having a plurality of wires at a forward end thereof, said
wires lying laterally side by side and ending in a common working
surface and being attached in a pot-shaped sleeve of the cleaning
head, said sleeve receiving and enclosing the wires; a selective
rinsing and cooling device which includes a medium channel
extending longitudinally from the coupling piece through the
gripping sleeve, the base part, the shaft, the wire packet and ends
at the working surface thereof, the shaft being angled within a
range of about 20.degree. to 50.degree. relative to the cleaning
head; an illumination device in the gripping sleeve, said
illumination device having a light-exiting opening at the forward
end of the gripping sleeve on the side towards which the shaft is
angled; and including a plurality of different and selectively
interchangeable cleaning heads.
2. Tooth cleaning instrument according to claim 1, wherein said
plurality of wires comprise tooth cleaning tips which lie in
defining surface plane which extends transversely of a longitudinal
central axis of said cleaning head.
3. Tooth cleaning instrument according to claim 1, wherein the
plurality of wires extends in a longitudinal direction and arranged
radially in side-by-side relationship.
4. Tooth cleaning instrument according to claim 3, wherein the
wires are constituted of an elastic, corrosion-resistant
material.
5. Tooth cleaning instrument according to claim 4, wherein said
material comprises a metal.
6. Tooth cleaning instrument according to claim 5, wherein said
metal comprises a stainless spring steel.
7. Tooth cleaning instrument according to claim 4, wherein said
material comprises a hard plastic.
8. Tooth cleaning instrument according to claim 4, wherein the
wires each have a cross-sectional dimension of approximately 0.02
to 0.2 mm.
9. Tooth cleaning instrument according to claim 4, wherein the
wires each have a cross-sectional dimension of approximately 0.05
to 0.08 mm.
10. Tooth cleaning instrument according to claim 4, wherein the
wires lie against one another.
11. Tooth cleaning instrument according to claim 1, wherein the
wires are formed by frictionally abrasive grains which are applied
onto or embedded in the pot-shaped sleeve.
12. Tooth cleaning instrument according to claim 11, wherein the
pot-shaped sleeve consists of a material which is stable in shape
or elastically deformable.
13. Tooth cleaning instrument according to claim 11, wherein the
pot-shaped sleeve is tubular shaft.
14. Tooth cleaning instrument according to claim 1, wherein said
plurality of cleaning heads are provided each selectively of
differing materials, hardness, form, performance characteristics
and size.
15. Tooth cleaning instrument according to claim 1, wherein the
vibration amplitudes of the tooth cleaning tool are directed
selectively longitudinally and transversely of the longitudinal
central axis of the handpiece.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
In the field of dental hygiene there exist a plurality of tooth
cleaning instruments. Of these firstly the mechanical toothbrush
intended for everyday use must be mentioned, which serves not only
for cleaning the teeth of food remnants but also serves for
cleaning of the tooth spaces and of the gums, thereby serving as
means for cleaning the oral cavity, and is operated by the person
owning the oral cavity. With this tooth cleaning instrument,
lightly adhering coatings or films as well as the food remnants are
removed from the teeth, whereby this tooth cleaning instrument
serves also to clean the spaces between the teeth and the
transitions between the necks of the teeth and the gums. Such a
tooth cleaning instrument is a brush with a plurality of relatively
soft bristles, of which usually a plurality of bristle groups
arranged with small spacings between one another are provided. The
mechanical driving of such a toothbrush takes place with a higher
frequency and with a smaller amplitude than is the case with
manually operated toothbrushes. As action upon the gums with
excessive pressure is harmful, mechanically driven toothbrushes
having a pressure sensor which generates a visible warning signal,
when a loading of the toothbrush directed transversely of the
bristle shaft exceeds a predetermined value, have been
developed.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
On the other hand there exist tooth cleaning instruments, namely
so-called tartar removal devices, which are utilized by the dentist
in his practice for the treatment of patients. These are
mechanically-driven tartar removal devices with a wire-form tool
with only one tip, which is mechanically driven at a high frequency
and a small amplitude whereby the hard metal tip of the instrument,
which is curved in the manner of a beak, is driven by vibrations
which are directed transversely of its shaft and therefore--because
of the arced beak form of the curved tip--impacts the surface of
the teeth, gently however, and is capable of removing even firmly
adhering tartar.
There are also very thin films on teeth, such as tooth surface
discolorations, for which an above-described tartar removal device
is not suitable.
For cleaning the teeth of surface discolorations an apparatus has
become known in which a cleaning powder mixed with warm water is
squirted onto the tooth surface under pressure, whereby the surface
discolorations are removed by the cleaning powder. A water-soluble
cleaning powder such as sodium carbonate is utilized, which
dissolves in water during treatment, so that no granular remains
are left in the oral cavity. The water is removed from the mouth by
means of a suction apparatus. Although this tooth cleaning
instrument, which is likewise for use by a dentist, has proved
itself in practice, the treatment is unpleasant, in particular for
sensitive patients, as its leaves an unusual taste in the mouth on
account of the sodium carbonate. Also, this known tooth cleaning
instrument may not be used for such patients who must to keep to a
low-salt diet, who suffer from a severe illness affecting the
respiratory organs and wear contact lenses.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to form a dental tooth cleaning
instrument of the kind mentioned in the introduction in such a way
that it is capable of removing tooth coatings as well as
discolorations on the tooth surface.
The tooth cleaning instrument according to the invention is
effective with its tooth contact element not only punctually but
arealy. Hereby it is not only more efficient, but is capable also
of cleaning or removing discolorations of the tooth surface rapidly
and efficiently. The tartar removal device generally used in this
field is also quite efficient in removing coatings on teeth, such
as tartar, because the tartar breaks away during the treatment, but
with this tartar removal device the remaining traces of tartar can
be cleaned or removed only with great operational and time
consuming efforts. In contrast the tooth cleaning apparatus
according to the present invention makes possible an efficient
cleaning or an efficient removal also of tartar remains. It is also
advantageous and rational to utilize the tooth cleaning instrument
according to the invention for the cleaning or removal of
discolorations of the tooth surface. On account of the areal
working, remaining areas of discoloration can also be removed with
little operational and time consuming effort.
Within the scope of the invention it is possible to drive the tooth
cleaning instrument according to the invention with vibrations so
that it is effective parallel to and/or transversely of the tooth
surface, i.e. rubbing and/or impacting the tooth surface. Thereby
the areal working of the tooth cleaning tool according to the
invention makes possible the above-mentioned rational operation on
the one hand and on the other hand a simultaneous and uniform
cleaning of a relatively large surface part of the tooth surface,
which is important in particular for the removal of discoloration,
in order to achieve an even natural colour of the treated
surface.
The invention is directed to features which contribute to problem
solving, improve the efficacy of the tooth cleaning instrument,
make possible different cleaning measures through an exchange of
different tooth cleaning tools, ensure an advantageous illumination
and/or cooling and/or rinsing of the surface under treatment and
further result in simple, practical economically manufacturable
constructions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following the invention and further advantages thereby
achievable will be explained in more detail with reference to
preferred embodiments. There are shown:
FIG. 1 a tooth cleaning instrument according to the invention, in a
side view;
FIG. 2 the forward end of the tooth cleaning instrument with a
tooth cleaning tool in an enlarged illustration and partly in axial
section;
FIG. 3 a protection cover for the head of the tooth cleaning tool,
in axial section;
FIG. 4 a cleaning head for the tooth cleaning tool in axial section
and in a modified configuration.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The main parts of the tooth cleaning instrument 1 in the form of a
handpiece are a grip sleeve 2, which carries detachably at its
forward end a tooth cleaning tool 3 and is detachably connected at
its rear end with a connecting piece 5 by means of a quick coupling
or a so-called plug-in/rotating coupling 4, which coupling piece is
attached to the forward end of a flexible supply hose 6.
In the forward region of the grip sleeve 2 a schematically
indicated vibration generator 7 is arranged which is mounted in the
grip sleeve and connected with the tooth cleaning tool 3 in such a
way that it is capable of transmitting vibrations directed
longitudinally or transversely of the centre axis 8 of the grip
sleeve 2 to the tooth cleaning tool 3 which projects forwardly from
the grip sleeve 2.
Several supply lines run through the supply hose 6, the
plug-in/rotating coupling 4 and the grip sleeve 2, whereby in the
present embodiment these are a supply line 9 for compressed air
and/or rinsing fluid, in particular water, whereby a spray can also
be used, a supply line 11, which serves for illuminating the
treatment area, and two supply lines 12a, 12b, which are electric
supply lines of an electric circuit to which the electric vibration
generator 7 is connected.
The plug-in/rotating coupling 4 is formed with a coupling recess 13
which is round in section and a coupling pin 14, which can be
plugged into and can rotate in the recess, whereby the coupling pin
14 may be arranged directed rearwardly from the grip sleeve 2 and
the coupling recess may be arranged in the forward end of the
connecting piece 5 or--as in the present embodiment--the coupling
recess 13 can be arranged on the rearward end of grip sleeve 2 and
the coupling pin 14 can be arranged forwardly projecting from the
connecting piece 5.
The supply lines are separable and reconnectable in the region of
the plug-in/rotating coupling 4, so that upon detachment and
mounting of the grip sleeve 2 from and onto the connecting piece 5
the supply line sections are separated and reconnected with one
another self-actingly. Here, configurations which are known per se
may be employed.
With the present embodiment the supply line 11 penetrates the
plug-in/rotating coupling 4 coaxially and is formed with a light
conductor, known per se, made of glass or plastics and/or glass or
plastics fibres, the light conductor sections 11a, 11b of which
light conductor are separated at the forward end of the coupling
pin 14 and lie oppositely facing one another in the coupled
condition.
For the supply of cooling or rinsing fluid, or a spray and
compressed air, there are provided one common or two supply lines
9a, 9b, which first run axially in the coupling pin 14, radially
cross the separating line of the plug-in/rotating coupling in a
sealed manner and are then again axially continued in the grip
sleeve 2, whereby at the separating line a circumferential groove
is arranged in the coupling pin 14 or in the wall of the coupling
recess 13. Hereby an unrestricted rotation of the grip sleeve 2 is
possible without interruption of the passage of the media.
A corresponding path with radial crossing of the separating line of
the plug-in/rotating coupling 4 is also provided for the electric
supply lines 12a, 12b, whereby sliding rings and contacts
cooperating therewith are arranged at the separating line at 15, so
that the current supply and discharge is also independent of a
rotation of the grip sleeve 2.
A catch device 16, engaging and disengaging self-actingly, is also
associated with the plug-in/rotating coupling 4, whereby an
unintended de-coupling is prevented. Such a catch device 16, known
per se, can be provided by a radially spring mounted catch element,
e.g. a ball, preferably in the grip sleeve 2, which cooperates with
a circumferential groove, preferably on the coupling pin 14.
A plug-in/rotating coupling 4 as described above, together with the
supply lines which penetrate it, is described in several
embodiments in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,578,033 and 4,589,847, both of
which are commonly assigned to the assignee of the present
application. Therefore, for rational reasons, this plug-in/rotating
coupling 4 will not be further described in specific detail, but
reference is made to the fullest extent of embodiments described in
the above-mentioned publications.
The tooth cleaning tool 3 is a rod-shaped component, obtusely
angled at its free end, namely the tooth contact element or tool
head 17, connected preferably detachably with the grip sleeve 2 at
its rearward end, and carries--preferably detachably--a cleaning
head 18 at its forward end. For the attachment of the tooth
cleaning tool 3 a screw connection can be provided preferably
having an external thread 19a on a rearward threaded pin of the
tooth cleaning tool 3 and an internal thread 19b in a corresponding
in particular coaxial threaded hole of the grip sleeve 2 or of a
base part 21 which supports the vibration generator and is
vibratably mounted inside the grip sleeve 2. In the rearward end
region of the tooth cleaning tool 3 there is arranged an element by
means of which rotation can be effected, preferably having the form
of a square or hexagonal 22 for a spanner, with which the tooth
cleaning tool 3 can be either mounted or dismounted. The shaft 23
of the tooth cleaning tool 3 is preferably formed by a pipe having
a comparatively thick wall, the free space of which can serve as a
supply line for compressed air and/or rinsing fluid or a spray. In
the present configuration the common supply line 9 for compressed
air and/or rinsing fluid or spray opens into the cavity 24 of shaft
23 in the form of a channel or pipeline in the grip sleeve 2a,
whereby the associated channel 25 opens coaxially forwardly into
the threaded hole 19. The tight sealing of the screw connection is
ensured by a seal on the free edge of the threaded hole 19, in this
case an interior cone surface 19c on the edge of the threaded hole
19 and a correspondingly formed exterior cone surface in the foot
region of the threaded pin 20.
The cleaning head 18 has a plurality of cleaning tips 27, which lie
with small spacings from one another in a working surface 29
arranged transversely of the longitudinal middle axis 28 of the
head, which surface may be either flat, curved or, as in the
present embodiment, flat and radial.
In the present embodiment the cleaning head 18 has a plurality of
thin pins or wires 31 which are arranged axis parallel and may have
small spacings from one another or preferably lie against one
another, thereby being able to form a wire bundle. The individual
wires 31 consist of a material which is capable of removing a tooth
coating and preferably also a discoloration of the tooth surface
through the vibration movement into which the tool is set during
operation. The wires 31 are therefore of a material which is
preferably harder than the tooth surface and for this purpose metal
wires and preferably spring steel wires in particular of stainless
steel, are suitable. The cross sectional size of the wires 31 is
approximately 0.02 mm to 0.2 mm, preferably approximately 0.05 mm
to 0.08 mm.
The wires 31 are bundled and are undetachably connected to a socket
32 which is detachably connected with the shaft 23 by means of a
securable plug-in socket or by a screw connection. The socket 32
preferably has a sleeve 33, into which the wire packet is received
in the manner of a pot and is therein attached e.g. by means of a
clamping effect, gluing, welding, in particular laser welding, or
soldering, preferably hard soldering.
As a prefabricatable component, the wire packet can be either
glued, welded or soldered, in particular hard-soldered or
laser-welded, to its mounting at its rear side 34. The mounting in
the socket 32 can be formed by the same gluing, welding or
soldering or by means of a special gluing, welding or soldering or
even by squashing the circumferential wall of the sleeve 33.
Preferably the wires 31 are arranged in a ring form so that they
enclose a longitudinal channel 35 which is an extension of the
hollow space 24 and thereby forms a supply line section for
compressed air and/or rinsing fluid or spray. Thereby these media
strike in a position which is favourable with regard to the
treatment area, namely at or in the working surface 29. To
facilitate the manufacturing or to improve the stability of the
wire packet an interior sleeve 36 can be arranged in the rearward
region of the longitudinal channel 35, if appropriate with a flange
engaging behind the rear side 34, and can preferably be fixed in
the channel by gluing, welding or soldering. Preferably the sleeve
33 has an internal shoulder 37, which can serve for rearward
support of the wire packet. In the region of this internal shoulder
37 one or several transverse bores 38 may be arranged in the sleeve
33, distributed around the circumference, which can serve for the
gluing, welding or soldering.
With the present screw connection for the cleaning head 18 or the
socket 32, the sleeve 33 which is preferably tapered towards the
rear in the region of the internal shoulder 37 or the transverse
bores 38 has an internal thread 39a with which it is screwed onto
an external thread on the forward end of the shaft 23, which is
preferably possible by virtue of a not illustrated element by means
of which rotation can be effected, to which a turning tool can be
applied.
With the present embodiment the wire packet is round in section,
whereby its external diameter is approximately 3 mm and the
diameter of the longitudinal channel 35 is approximately 1 mm. The
length L of the wires 31 is approximately 3 mm to 10 mm, preferably
approximately 6 mm.
As the wire tips are sensitive elements, it is advantageous to
provide the cleaning head 18 with a protection cap 41, which
effectively protects the wires when not in use. The protection cap
illustrated in FIG. 3 consists of a cylindrical circumferential
wall 42, a cover wall 43 and a pin 44, which can be plugged into
the longitudinal channel 35 with little play for movement.
Preferably the outside edge of sleeve 33 and/or the inner edge of
the circumferential wall 42 and/or the tip of the pin 44 are
rounded or chamfered to facilitate the slipping on of the
protection cap 41. In the mounted position the circumferential wall
42 or the pin 44 can cooperate with the wires 31 in a radially
clamping manner. It is also advantageous to make the
circumferential wall 42 so large that it overlaps the sleeve 33,
whereby it can cooperate with the sleeve in a clamping manner. If
the pin 44 is of such a length that the free end thereof lies
against the interior sleeve 36 and a spacing remains between the
cover wall 43 and the wire tips, the wire tips are spared from
contact with the cover plate 43 and are protected against
damage.
With the embodiment according to FIG. 4, in which similar or
comparable parts are designated with the same reference signs, the
wire packet is received in a sleeve 33, which preferably is
externally tapered relative to the rearward end of the sleeve 33,
whereby a cover sleeve 33a sits on the sleeve 33, which cover
sleeve is preferably pushed on after fastening of the wire packet
in the sleeve 33, whereby simple manufacture and a neat finish are
achieved. The forward edge region of the cover sleeve 33a may be
rolled inwards, whereby it may restrict or radially clamp in the
wire packet.
Preferably there are several different cleaning heads 18 associated
with the tooth cleaning tool 1, which heads are freely
interchangeable. These may be of differing sizes, forms and
frictional properties or even hardness.
Within the scope of the invention, instead of utilizing the
above-described brush cleaning head 18, it is possible to utilize a
cleaning head of, if appropriate, profiled rubber or plastics with
embedded abrasive or with an abrasive at the working surface
29.
The cleaning body described in all the above-mentioned embodiments
can be made of hard material or hard elastic material, the working
surface 29 of which is either stable in shape, or of a soft elastic
material, the working surface 29 of which is so soft elastic in
itself that it can follow the contour of the tooth surface or
spaces between the teeth, thereby adapting its shape thereto, when
the person carrying out the treatment exerts pressure.
The abrasive efficacy of the cleaning tips 27 or wire tips can be
improved by a coating with hard substances, in particular of
metal.
In order to switch on the tooth cleaning tool 1 and/or the
vibration generator 7 and/or one of the media (compressed air,
rinsing fluid, in particular water, or spray, light), one or
several switches in the form of hand switches (not shown) can be
provided on the tooth cleaning tool 1 or on the grip sleeve 2, or a
correspondingly formed foot switch can be provided.
The light conductor section 11b ends in a light exit opening 11c at
the forward end of grip sleeve 2, in particular on the side towards
which the tool head 17 is angled. The light exit opening 46 is
directed towards the treatment location or the tooth cleaning head
17.
On account of the angled arrangement of the cleaning head 18 with
regard to the longitudinal middle axis of the preferably straight
grip sleeve 2 there results a position of the cleaning head 18 from
which it is easy to operate with regard to the expected tooth
dispositions, whereby also poorly accessible tooth surfaces can be
readily reached. The angle W at which the cleaning head 18 is
angled, is approximately 20 to 50 degrees, preferably 30 to 45
degrees.
Tests have shown that in particular with a working surface 29 which
is formed with cleaning tips 27 or wires 31 or bristles an
efficient cleaning of the tooth surface is achieved when the
cleaning tips act on the surface abrasively and/or with gentle
impacting. This mode of operation is achieved preferably by means
of an angled cleaning head 18.
* * * * *